Beliefs about Authority

January 17, 2010

Listen to the sermon

  1. Our Authority Choices:
    1. Ourselves
      1. During the period of the judges, “everyone did as he saw fit” – Judges 21:25
      2. Scripture warns us about trusting our own limited understanding – Proverbs 3:5-7
    2. Public Opinion
      1. The majority is often wrong – Matthew 7:13-14
    3. Tradition
      1. Traditions of men are not trustworthy – Colossians 2:8
    4. Scripture
  2. The case for Biblical authority
    1. Biblical events were recorded by eyewitnesses (Accuracy)
      1. Eyewitnesses provide certainty of the accuracy of an account – Luke 1:1-4
    2. The source of the Bible is God (Inspiration) – 2 Timothy 3:14-17
      1. Scriptures are inspired by God – vs. 16
      2. Men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit – 2 Peter 1:20-21
      3. Scriptures provide all that we need – vs. 17
      4. Scriptures provide the way of salvation – vs. 14-15
    3. The Bible is empowered by God (Power)
      1. Scripture is more than words on a page, it is the power of God – Hebrews 4:12
  3. Interpreting Biblical authority
    1. Many have distorted the Bible to support their own views – 2 Corinthians 4:2
    2. We are to rightly handle the Word of God – 2 Timothy 2:15
    3. Keys to interpreting the Bible:
      1. What is the most obvious meaning of the passage?
      2. Does this meaning agree with the rest of Scripture?
      3. Remember that the Bible records many things that it does not approve of.
    4. Interpreting is incomplete without doing what it says – James 1:22